Happiness and Goodbyes for Beginners
by DreamerofImprobableDreams45
Summary: Slight Annie/Abed. Abed congratulates Annie on one of the most important days of her life. Very short, very tame. Rather sad. Rated K just because.


_A/n: First foray into the world of Community fanfiction. I happen to love Annie and Abed and realized that there weren't many fics for this relationship. But the ones that do exist are truly wonderful. _

_Inspirtation for this piece: 'When the Stars go Blue" (Tim McGraw), listen to it when you read this piece, it really sets the tone for it. _

_Dancin' where the stars go blue  
Dancin' where the evening fell  
Dancin' in your wooden shoes  
In a wedding gown_

_Dancin' out on 7th street_  
_Dancin' through the underground_  
_Dancin' little marionette_  
_Are you happy now?_

_Where do you go when you're lonely?_

Happy Sunday Everyone!

* * *

"May I have this dance?" Asks a gentle, quiet voice from somewhere in the crowd behind her. The request is nearly drowned out beneath the pulsing sound of the band, but she, however, hears it, and turns around.

Standing before her is her best friend and longtime roommate during her days as a Greendale Community College student. He's dressed nicely for the occasion in a light grey suit and tie of a similar color, a lily peeping out of his breast-pocket on the suit jacket. A faint smile tugs at the corners of his lips.

She lets out an excited squeal as she pulls him into her arms. "Abed! I'm so happy you could make it!" She cries, feeling tears spring to her eyes. She hasn't seen him in quite sometime.

He hesitates a beat before wrapping his arms around her. His skin is tickled by the lacy material of her long white gown. He buries his face in her brown hair, left down around her shoulders. He wishes he could hold on forever and never let her go. Because he knows when they stop hugging, reality will creep back in, and she will be married to someone else.

She's surprised and thrilled by his appearance. She'd sent in invitation for him in the mail but hadn't expected him to come. Usually huge gatherings weren't his jam. It means a lot to her that he managed to be there on one of the most important days of her life.

She wipes the tears from her cheeks and is thankful, once again, that she'd put on waterproof mascara this morning. The waterworks had tumbled out of her eyes when she'd seen Britta and Troy with their beautiful newborn daughter. The three friends had fallen out of touch after they'd left Greendale, but she was so unbelievably happy for them that she'd burst into tears on the spot, prompting a teasing from the blonde new mother.

"You're crying." He says, an edge of panic seeping into his usually monotone voice. "Did I make you sad?" He asks worriedly.

She shushes him and pats his chest affectionately. "Happy tears, Abed. I've missed you so much!" She says. She reaches up and plants a kiss on his cheek. "Come on, this seems like a great song to dance to." She says, as she grabs one of his hands and leads him out to the dance floor. He follows after her.

The old friends push past a couple of people to find an appropriate space to begin dancing. Abed tentatively places a hand on her lower back and takes one of her hands. They commence twirling and moving to the music.

Annie giggles after a few mintues. "Abed, I didn't know you were such a great dancer!" She says.

"I had to learn for the Director's ball last March. According to my agent, Christie, it would have been a 'total diaster' if I showed up and didn't know how to dance." He says without any inflection or trace of humor. He dips Annie over, careful to keep a steady hand on her back. She gasps in surprise. He meets her shocked gaze, her blue eyes wide. They hold the position for a few moments, locked in one another's stare. But then he realizes that it's inappropriate for him to stay this way with the bride. So he quickly reverses the movement and pulls her back into his arms.

She seems dazed for a brief second, but then remembers what they were talking about."Oh that's right! I heard about your award, Abed. Congratulations!" She said with a broad smile.

"Thank you, Annie. But today it is I who should be congratulating you." He says. "After all, it's your wedding day."

Her smile falters slightly, nearly imperceivable, yet noticed by the one who obeserves all. "Oh, yes. Thank you." She says, her voice lower than before. Something seems off to Abed.

A silence spreads over the pair for the next couple of moments.

"Are you happy Annie?" He asks, suddenly.

She drops her hands and takes a step back. "Abed! How can you say that?" She snaps, indignantly.

He tilts his head slightly, but offers no apology. "Are you happy?" He repeats.

Tears form in her eyes and threaten to spill over. "Abed..." She says, her voice cracking.

"Just tell me he makes you happy, and I'll never bother you again." He states, unemotionally.

Dampness trickles down her cheeks. "I..." She begins, trying desperately to find the words she knows are true. _She's happy, isn't she? _

"Mind if I cut in?" A familiar voice interrupts the pair. The groom appears, holding out his hand to his new bride. "Milady."

Abed drops his hands from Annie's body, and feels something akin to grief course through his veins. Annie was no longer his. She belongs to someone else, forever. He offers his congratulations to the groom and steps back, giving the happy couple their space. He wants nothing more than to disappear into the wooden floor, or go home to his empty apartment, climb into his dreamatorium he kept around for old time sake, and never come out.

Annie steps into her new husband's embrace. She smiles softly, brushing the remaining tears away from the corners of her eyes. "Milord." She replies.

Her small action doesn't go unnoticed by her new dancing partner. "Are you alright, Annie?" He asks. "Did something happen?" He looks over her shoulder to Abed, who is still standing there, staring blankly into space, frozen to the ground like a statue.

She laughed quietly. "Just catching up with an old friend." She reassured him. "I'm perfectly okay."

She breaks their contact for just a minute as she turns around to say to Abed.

But when she looks, she realizes that he's already gone.

* * *

Alright well that's that. It's not as good as I hoped, but I had to write something when I heard this song. It was so inspiring.

Reviews are great early Christmas presents!

xo A


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